Improving Iraq
March 11th, 2008 at 05:07am Mark Noonan
Yet more indicators that we’ve done a glorius thing in Iraq:
FOB KALSU — With security improving in Hawr Rajab, stores and schools are reopening and a number of programs are revitalizing a community once on the brink of chaos.
In November 2007, al-Qaeda launched their last well-coordinated offensives into Hawr Rajab, killing a total of 12 members of the Sons of Iraq (SoI) and wounding eight. In the same firefight, two Iraqi Army (IA) Soldiers were killed and another nine wounded; four U.S. Soldiers were injured in the attacks.
When the insurgents attacked, the SoI program in the region was still in its infancy, but the members were not deterred. With the assistance of Coalition forces and IA Soldiers, residents began to reclaim their community and insurgents not killed or captured were forced to flee.
As rebuilding of the rural farming area began, community leaders ramped up efforts to re-establish ties with the government of Iraq (GoI).
Sheik Ali Majeed Mushir Al-Dulaymi, leader of the SoI in Hawr Rajab, began meeting with Yousif Yaqoub Bekhaty, Rashid District Council chairman, and other council officials to request government assistance with reconstruction efforts.
“The present challenges we face are maintaining security, promoting economic growth and stability, while helping Hawr Rajab establish an efficient local government with supporting entities,” said Capt. Gregory Curry II, commander of Troop A, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment. “It will not happen overnight, but it is happening one day at a time.”
The story goes on to note some of the efforts being made to restore Hawr Rajab to normalcy - micro-grants to small businesses, womens initiatives, farming programs…the small, un-heralded things which so much of the MSM ignores, but which are the things actually winning this battle, which has always been a spiritual and political battle far more than a purely military engagement.
Critics will hem and haw and try to disparage - but we will not forget that they called this effort lost as early as 2004 and since that time have done everything they can to undercut and sabotage the effort.
Entry Filed under: War on Terror
11 Comments
1. JD | March 11th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Costing U.S. taxpayers $12 billion per month is not worth it no matter how it is spun.
2. js | March 11th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Some people would say do whatever it takes to do the right thing JD.
So how is that not worth it?
3. Nate | March 11th, 2008 at 8:23 am
why be proud of anything the usa has done in iraq when we can’t even take care of our own in the states? think of what could be done if a trillion $ was invested in usa infrastructure and people. iraq is just a continuing embarrassment for the usa on so many levels.
4. js | March 11th, 2008 at 8:42 am
isnt that a selfish thought Nate?
5. Nate | March 11th, 2008 at 9:21 am
selfish how? if you don’t take care of yourself you can’t do a good job of taking care of others. we need to get our own house in order before we go and try to help others do the same. if the usa can’t do it why would anyone expect that any other country can? easy to focus on others’ problems and not your own. no, not selfish, rather sensible — even if the work at home is more challenging.
6. js | March 11th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Well, the GNP of the USA is 13.3 Trillion dollars. 144 Billion is 12 billion per month, (unverified by the GAO), really isnt that much money. The defense budget is less than 1/2 Trillion Dollars, including the 12 Billion per month supporting our troops over there, and improving the Iraqi infrastructure so they can do without us.
It is very selfish to condemn our spending over there. The Federal Government spent over 2.5 trillion Dollars last year, and will spend over 3.1 Trillion this year.
Very selfish.
7. DM | March 11th, 2008 at 9:52 am
“…when we can’t even take care of our own in the states?”
What amazes me is how some people act as though the US exists in a vacuum. They fail to see how problems outside the US boarders directly and indirectly affect us. They suggest everything inside the US must be at or near 100% before we can do anything for others. How incredibly short sited.
How much foreign aid does the US dole out to how many nations on an annual basis? What is the value to the US, if any, of doing this? For that matter, how much is spent within the US on entitlement programs and the numerous programs designed to help the “less fortunate”? When is helping a group or country that is not your own, in your best interest? What are the consequences to the US of ignoring or failing to act in troubled places like the Mid East, especially after we vowed to help? What would the consequences be if we never went into Afghan or Iraq to begin with? Is experiencing an episode like the twin tower devastation worth ignoring the Mid East especially if the devastation grew in intensity and frequency?
Almiranta and others state quite clearly how being a “Liberal” means basing your actions on limited knowledge and lots of emotion. This sure fits that analysis. “Just leave” – is not an answer, at least not to those of us who live in the real world.
8. Mark Noonan | March 11th, 2008 at 10:48 am
DM,
Nate just suffers from that smallness of heart all too common in America these days…the “charity begins at home” excuse for doing nothing…its rather sad to see.
9. Darva Conger | March 11th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Yep, Iraq is improving so much that the Commander of CENTCOM quit today.
10. plainjane | March 11th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Iraq feel good story number 85.
What are they doing with their oil money? Are they putting it in a piggy bank until the American taxpayers are no longer dopes enough to foot the reconstruction bill?
11. Michael | March 11th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
He actually thinks things are going very well in Iraq. His problem is a life-long habit of doing and saying things that are not necessarily in agreement with his boss. This time he got fired (resigned) for his “maverick” behavior. Others figure it was a move to put Petraeus in the CENTCOM job as a reward for his brilliance in the surge. The article most liberals are quoting on Fallon was just published in Esquire and was an interview with Fallon, but Fallon called the article “Poison pen stuff, Ugly”. My guess is that Fallon was offered a job at the Pentagon and to him that was a step down so after 42 years of active duty he decided to retire.